Local Movements for a More Equitable, Sustainable, Democratic Society

At the city level across the United States, community-based organizations are building social movements to win a more equitable and democratic future. We will hear from leaders and members of organizations in Buffalo, New York that are reimagining public safety, strengthening the voices of immigrants and New Americans in shaping our public policy, and winning environmental justice campaigns to repair the harms caused by extractive corporations. How are they using democracy in their own organizations to advance a more democratic future for us all? We will also look to organizing in Minneapolis, Minnesota to reflect on labor and community collaboration in our fight to change who governs our economies and communities. By building together at the local level, we can win more equitable American cities.

Panelists:

Phylicia Brown
Executive Director, Black Love Resists in the Rust

Grace Karambizi
Executive Director, Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team

Jerry Manuel
Chair of the Board, Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team

Bridge Rauch
Environmental Justice Organizer, Clean Air Coalition

Tom Morahan
Member, Clean Air Coalition

Amelia Pedrego
Research and Strategic Campaigns, SEIU Local 26 (Minneapolis, MN)

Moderator:
Andrea Ó Súilleabháin
Exeuctive Director, Partnership for the Public Good

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This session took place as part of the Uniting on the High Road Conference on June 22, 2024 in Buffalo, NY, hosted by Cornell University ILR Buffalo Co-Lab and Partnership for the Public Good, together with co-sponsors Clean Air Coalition, Open Buffalo, University at Buffalo Center for Urban Studies, University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Buffalo State University Department of Anthropology, CWA District 1, 1199SEIU, and Hayes Dolce.

Uniting on the High Road gathered individuals from across the United States who had been actively transforming democracy by amplifying their voices in local government, reshaping the economy for all, and reimagining public safety and health. In Buffalo, a city with a rich history of activism, participants learned from diverse movements driving racial and economic justice. The conference highlighted how local efforts, like the successful unionization of Starbucks stores, were building a more just and equitable society.

See the full conference program: https://ppgbuffalo.org/files/document...